Knowledge Management Essay Example for Free

Knowledge Management Essay It involves applying the collective knowledge and abilities of the entire workforce to achieve specific organizational objectives. State agencies should feel free to adapt and use information and tools on the following pages as necessary within their organization. It is provided to be a starting point for sharing knowledge and experience, allowing those who remain with the organization to continue providing quality service. Capturing and sharing critical knowledge and expertise should be occurring continuously among employees. In many cases, however, it is not and this need becomes pressing when a valued employee is preparing to retire or change positions. When an organization is considering implementing a knowledge transfer plan it is important to answer several questions: 1. Is the organization going to fill the vacant position or reassign the duties? 2. Are all the duties of the position still important to the mission of the organization? 3. Is there a need to update the position description? 4. Will the position change, remain as is, or be eliminated once the employee leaves? What is knowledge transfer? David DeLong’s book â€Å"Lost Knowledge† describes knowledge as the â€Å"capacity for effective actions or decision-making in the context of organizational activity†. Accordingly, lost knowledge would decrease this vital capacity and help undermine organizational effectiveness and performance. The goal of transferring knowledge to others [known as Knowledge Transfer] is to: 1. Identify key positions and people where potential knowledge loss is most imminent. 2. Assess how critical the knowledge loss will be. Develop a plan of action to ensure the capture of that critical knowledge and a plan of action to transfer it. Why is knowledge transfer important? A significant percentage of the state’s workforce is nearing retirement age over the next ten years. These employees have acquired a tremendous amount of knowledge about how things work, how to get things done and who to go to when problems arise. Losing their expertise and experience could significantly reduce efficiency, resulting in costly mistakes, unexpected quality problems, or significant disruptions in services and/or performance. In addition, faster turnover among younger employees and more competitive recruiting and compensation packages add significantly to the mounting concern about the state’s ability to sustain acceptable levels of performance. What are the benefits of a knowledge transfer program? Knowledge transfer [KT] programs prevent critical knowledge loss by focusing on key areas. Some of the immediate benefits of KT programs are: 1. They provide reusable documentation of the knowledge required in certain positions or job roles. 2. They result in immediate learning and knowledge transfer when carried out by individuals who can either use the transferred knowledge themselves or have responsibility for hiring, training, mentoring, coaching or managing people within an organizational unit. 3. They reduce the impact of employee departure. 4. They integrate staffing, training, job and organization redesign, process improvements and other responses. 5. They aid in succession planning. 6. They prevent the loss of knowledge held only in employees’ heads when they leave the organization or retire. They enhance career development. Generally Accepted Definitions for Knowledge Management and Transfer Knowledge Management (KM) refers to practices used by organizations to find, create, and distribute knowledge for reuse, awareness, and learning across the organization. Knowledge Management programs are typically tied to organizational objectives and are intended to lead to the achievement of specific outcomes such as shared intelligence, improved performance, or higher levels of innovation. Knowledge Transfer (an aspect of Knowledge Management) has always existed in one form or another through on-the-job discussions with peers, apprenticeship, and maintenance of agency libraries, professional training and mentoring programs. Since the late twentieth century, technology has played a vital role in Knowledge Transfer through the creation of knowledge bases, expert systems, and other knowledge repositories. To understand knowledge management and knowledge transfer, it is helpful to examine the differences between data, information, and knowledge. Data is discrete, objective facts. Data is the raw material for creating information. By itself, data carries no judgment, interpretation or meaning. Information is data that is organized, patterned and/or categorized. It has been sorted, analyzed and displayed, and is communicated through various means. Information changes the way a person perceives something, thus, affecting judgment or behavior. Knowledge is what is known. It is richer and more meaningful than information. Knowledge is gained through experience, reasoning, intuition, and learning. Because knowledge is intuitive, it is difficult to structure, can be hard to capture on machines, and is a challenge to transfer. We often speak of a knowledgeable person, and by that we mean someone who is well informed, and thoroughly versed in a given area. We expand our knowledge when others share theirs with us. We create new knowledge when we pool our knowledge together.

The No Child Left Behind Act and Educational Technology Essay -- essay

The No Child Left Behind Act and Educational Technology Overview of Act: What it entails The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has become a large, nationwide issue, since President George Bush signed it into law on January 8, 2002, giving the schools the responsibility to keep every student’s academic achievement at a passing level. (Florida Department of Education; 2003; pg. 1) Each state had twelve years to have all students proficient in reading and math, which gave each state less than a year to create a plan. (Kim & Sunderman; 2004; pg. 19) Title I, which is included in this act, began in 1965 when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was passed, which gave federal funds to help academically struggling students. (North Carolina Department of Education; 2004; pg. 1) The main purpose of the No Child Left Behind Act is to use state achievement tests to be sure that all children have an equal opportunity to be exposed to high-level education. A standard called Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) was created to measure how each school district is attempting ens ure equal opportunities for all of their students. This standard is measured by race, english proficiency, socioeconomic status, and disability. (Florida Department of Education; 2003; pg.1) Overview of Act: Requirements According The No Child Left Behind Act, ninety-five percent of students in each school district must participate in the yearly state assessment program to make AYP. Each state may set annual goals which the school districts must strive for and must demonstrate one percent improvement each year. Each high school must also show a one percent increase in the number of graduates each year. In the state of Florida, each school district must ha... ...rom http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ct--nochild0419apr19,0,7954181.story Discusses Utah's new state law that will be followed rather than the No Child Left Behind Act. Loh, Laura. (2005, April 13). For poorest pupils, access to tutoring. Baltimore Sun. Loh, Laura. (2005, April 19). U.S. education secretary continues campaign for ‘No Child’ changes. Baltimore Sun. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.spellings19apr19,1,198082.story Spellings speech given in Baltimore about the No Child Left Behind Act. McCarthy, Sheryl. (2005, March 28). Don’t stop now it testing teachers. Newsday. http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-opmcc284193734mar28,0,1426782.column Discussion of teachers certification testing. The Associated Press. (2005, April 20). Details of No Child Left Behind Lawsuit. Baltimore Sun.

Anti Natal Care Health Service Health And Social Care Essay

Anti natal attention is one of the of import wellness services provided by ministry of wellness for long clip. It is provided by primary attention centres which are distributed along the sultanate. In add-on, secondary and third attention centres are lending to this service by following up complicated instances and those with co-morbid conditions like bosom disease and diabetes mellitus. Pregnant ladies are provided booking green card for follow up boulder clay bringing. Pregnancy is physiological procedure that is associated with some conditions and affected by others like anaemia, diabetes and fleshiness ( 1-6 ) . These status are common in our state ( 7 ) . Besides the result of the gestation is affected by other factors like grade of blood kinship and familial diseases like reaping hook cell anaemia and thalassaemia which are besides common. ( 8,9 ) . The result of the gestation can be improved by go toing pre matrimonial guidance and pre construct guidance which are besides provided by primary attention centres. So our purpose is to place some ANC jobs in the community and seek to undertake them earlier e.g. Anemia, blood kinship, prenuptial and prepossession guidance by analysing the information given at ANC booking collected at third infirmary ( khoula infirmary ) in Muscat, Oman Method: Consequences: Our survey came up with a batch of consequences that we can utilize them to better the prenatal attention. It is demoing that more than 2/3rd of the clients are in their 3rd decennaries and about 1/4th are in 4th decennary. Merely 2 % are above 40 old ages and 4 % are below 20 old ages. Besides the hubbies are chiefly distributed in 3rd and 4th decennaries with similar per centum in each decennary. Around 61 % of the clients complete their secondary school, 11 % are holding advanced instruction and merely 6 % are illiterate ( see fig. ( ) . Besides merely 27 % of them are employers compared to 88 % of their hubbies are employers. Most of our clients presented for their engagement before 13 hebdomads of gestation with per centum of 67 % and 14 % presented before 28 hebdomads of gestation. Sing past medical history, 13 clients claimed to hold including 6 holding diabetes and 3 holding high blood pressure but bulk of them holding household history of diabetes, high blood pressure and ca rdiovascular disease 48, 30 and 7 patients severally. Besides more than half of the clients are holding unnatural organic structure mass index ( BMI ) and merely 42 % holding normal BMI and 11 % holding low BMI. Around have of patients are related and half of these are holding foremost degree blood kinship. On the other manus, merely 5 % had prenuptial guidance and 8 % had pre construct guidance. About 2/3rd did non utilize contraceptive method before their gestation and most of those who used contraceptive method they have used other traditional contraceptive method followed by injection and so combined unwritten preventives, 11, 8 and 7 patients severally. Merely 1/4th of our patients did non be after their gestation and 13 % became pregnant while utilizing contraceptive method. Most of the clients are either gravida I or holding gravid less than 5, 44 and 41 clients severally. 30 clients reported old gestational complications including 23 maternal, 16 fetal and 9 combined complic ations.those who have aneima ( hemoglobin & A ; lt ; 11 ) at booking histories for 26 % of the entire sample. The bi-variant analysis besides demoing some of import consequences. First, there is association between gestational age at engagement and both business and degree of instruction but it is non important i.e. employers and those holding high degree of instruction nowadays earlier with ( Fisher ‘s exact = 0.166 ) and ( 0.750 ) severally. There is important association between degree of instruction and para, i.e platinum with higher degree of instruction holding low para with ( Fisher ‘s exact =0.009 ) . Besides this survey is demoing that there is important association between figure of para and degree of haemoglobin and old gestational complications with ( Pr = 0.004 and Fisher ‘s exact = 0.000 ) severally. i.e higher para is associated with old gestational complications and low haemoglobin. However there is no association between para and high blood pressure. We can besides reason that there is non-significant association between fleshiness and each of old cesarean subdivision, diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure with ( Fisher ‘s exact = 0.149, 0.423 and 0.606 ) severally. Discussion As we saw in the consequences that bulk of the patient are in their 3rd and 4th decennaries severally. It non surprising as we know that Oman is one of the developing states and is holding pyramidic distribution of its population and bulk of them are immature. So as effects, we are seeing that 44 % of the clients are primigravida and 41 % are holding gravida between 2 and 5 which besides can be related to patients & A ; acirc ; ˆâ„ ¢ business position every bit good. . Besides the fact that 4 % of our patient are younger than 20 old ages, can be explained by first, procedure of instruction and we saw that around 2/3rd of our patient completed secondary school and normally by age of 18 old ages. Second, increased consciousness among the population which is besides can be contributed to wellness instruction provided by ministry of wellness. Third, employment position, although merely around 1/4th of our patients are employed. besides can be explained by complexness of life, that is the males are now acquiring more troubles to acquire married in early age, they have to analyze and so to work and eventually to afford everything in order to hold a household. We besides see about 6 % of our patient are illiterate, this is high figure despite the availabity of free instruction. The bulk of patients hubbies are working and this is traveling with world here in our state that is the hubbies are working outside and the female parents are taking attention of their houses and kids. As we mentioned that bulk of the clients presented for booking earlier 13 hebdomads of age, there is non-significant association with both degree of instruction and position of employment i.e. employers and educated female parents are showing earlier for booking. This all together can be related to increase consciousness of importance of prenatal attention and follow up and close propinquity of primary wellness attention centres. As Medical status can impact the gestation, we noticed that 6 % of our clients are holding DM and 3 % holding high blood pressure. This is low compared to the prevalence of these conditions in general population which is 11.6 and 33. ( 7 ) this can be explained by low sample size and larger size is needed to demo such prevalence and because of immature population in our sample.. On the other manus, we noticed a batch of patients are holding household history of diabetes, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. Despite the high prevalence of familial diseases like reaping hook cell anaemia, thalassaemia, ( 8,9 ) merely really few patients are go toing pre-marital and pre construct guidance. Besides, half of them are holding blood kinship and 1/4th are holding 1st degree blood kinship. So these are some of the jobs that need a batch of attempts to be tackled in order to hold healthy persons and to avoid passing a batch of moneys in handling such conditions. This can be done thr ough increasing the consciousness of such guidance, promote people to go to prenuptial guidance. Besides pre-conception guidance is of import to place patients who are at high hazard of acquiring gestation, acquire control of their medical conditions if they have like diabetes, high blood pressure, epilepsy and bronchial asthma and supply addendums like folic acid and if anaemic they need ferric sulfate. Sing contraceptive method, we know that ministry of wellness are making great occupation in supplying this service in primary attention centres. In 1994 and prior to get downing birth spacing in Oman, the prophylactic prevalence rate was of 12.7 % and in 1995, this prevalence increased to 28 % . ( 10 ) But in our survey less than 1/3rd of the clients have used contraceptive method before their gestation. This can be due to the undermentioned grounds. First, 44 % are primigravida.second, deficiency of consciousness. Third, the clients may experience shy in describing contraceptive method usage and methods to the nurses while acquiring the green cards. Besides 11 % coverage usage of other traditional methods of contraceptive method, which is the frequent method, used in our sample and for this ground we are seeing the higher failure rate of 13 % . The Numberss of old complications are high in our sample and it is significantly associated with figure of para, the higher the para means higher rate of complications. Besides it is known that most of the gestational complications are associated with organic structure mass index. ( 1-6 ) this what we found in our he-man, that there is non-significant association between BMI and old cesarean subdivision ( CS ) , so AS BMI increase the patient is more likely to hold CS which besides found in another surveies. ( 2,3,5,6 ) as we see in the consequences, around half of the sample patients are holding high BMI, so this will set them at hazard of complications. On the other manus there are patient with low BMI and besides this will them under the hazard. So malnutrition is another job in our state that should be tackled. Besides the bi-variant analysis is demoing that BMI is non-significantly associated with high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus. So as BMI increase the hazard of holdin g high blood pressure and diabetes besides increase. Anemia in our sample is about 26 % which is low compared to 2006 index ( 11 ) and compared to another survey done at sharqia part ( 12 ) . Besides we noticed that there is important association between anaemia and figure of para i.e. lady with higher figure of para is more likely to hold anaemia. This expected physiological response, because the maternal organic structure is ever fring and in demands for Fe as consequence of frequent gestation, blood loss during deliver and increase demand during breastfeeding. Restrictions: Our survey has several restrictions. First, little sample size and that is because the period of informations aggregation was short. 2nd, it is done in third attention where many complicated instances are referred. Third, the random choice of the patient was non computing machine based. Decisions Form the survey ; we noticed some common jobs which need to be tackled like malnutrition, low contraceptive method usage, high blood kinship rate, illiteracy and anaemia. Besides we can reason that there is important association between figure of para and all of degree of instruction, anaemia and old complications.

Natural Law theory Essay

With reference to other aspects of human experience, explore the claim that Natural Law theory is irrelevant. Justify your answer. [15] Natural Law is becoming more irrelevant due to our secular culture. Natural Law depends on the belief that the world was designed by a creator, and that morality is absolute according to his standards. Aquinas assumes that all men must seek to worship God. What about an atheist? According to Thompson, if someone does not believe in God, then â€Å"the natural law theory loses its foundation.† Furthermore, in today’s society natural law has largely been replaced by utilitarianism, the belief that our moral choices are less absolute and should be based on creating the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest amount of people. It has even been referred to as, â€Å"the ethics of the planet.† It is far less restrictive and many argue it is a superior philosophy to natural law. According to Peter Mullen, Working with Morality, it may be necessary, for example, to torture an innocent person to save the lives of thousands. Peter Singer once wrote a piece condemning natural law in a magazine called Project Syndicate. He prefers practical ethics to theoretical ethics. He cites the case of a South American woman called Beatriz who was pregnant and suffers from lupus, this made the pregnancy difficult. Furthermore, the child had anencephaly. Singer was enraged that the natural law philosophy of Catholic El Salvador prevented her from getting an abortion. He wrote with regard to natural law, â€Å"The use of the term â€Å"being with a rational nature† is very broad, perhaps too broad.† Even the Pope has recently condoned the breaking of natural law in extreme circumstances. Pope Francis has indicated that women exposed to the Zika virus may be permitted to use contraception to avoid pregnancy, in a departure from Catholic teaching. His comments came as women in South America frantically try to terminate pregnancies for fear of giving birth to babies with microcephaly, which gives them unusually small heads. He said that unlike abortion, â€Å"avoiding pregnancy is not an absolute evil† and in certain circumstances it may be â€Å"the lesser evil†. This proves that natural law is becoming irrelevant even for the Catholic Church. Among more orthodox thinkers, objection to the natural law takes several forms. Many, Protestant evangelicals in particular, presume that natural-law thinking fails to take seriously the condition of human sin and places misguided trust in the powers of human reason debilitated by the Fall. Consequently, natural-law theory is thought to be insufficiently Christocentric and located outside the realm of grace, thereby engendering a version of works-righteousness. These critics remain sceptical out of a concern that natural law is autonomous and somehow external to the centre of theological ethics and God’s providential care of the world. On the other hand, many would argue that natural law is not irrelevant because it is instinctual within all humans. Some believe that God has implanted the natural law as a form of moral instinct. For example, the writer Johannes Teutonicus said that the natural law of men is based on an, â€Å"instinct proceeding from reason.† Therefore even if one is an atheist you cannot escape the urge to follow natural law based on your conscience. Finally, Natural Law continues to be central to Catholic teaching. Early teachers such as Aquinas supported it and so do modern day clergy. The RCC believes that everyone is subject to it from birth (natio), because it contains only those duties which are derivable from human nature itself, and because, absolutely speaking, its essentials can be grasped by the unaided light of human reason. Just recently in March 2015 Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco has invoked the natural law in stressing the moral unacceptability of gay sex and gay marriage.

Botic Essays - Systems Ecology, Ecosystem, Biogeochemical Cycle

Botic Essays - Systems Ecology, Ecosystem, Biogeochemical Cycle Botic Option 1: Ecosystem Components Paper Select a representative natural ecosystem in your area or one that you are interested in?such as a lake, preserve, or park?that is managed for native species. ?Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper explaining the following: oThe major structural and functional dynamics (processes) of that ecosystem including change over time oHow humans may have affected biogeochemical cycles in that ecosystem, including impacts to the nitrogen, phosphorus, or carbon cycle oHow knowledge about that ecosystem?s structure and function can help or has helped to develop plans for its management and restoration oThe implication of species interactions in ecosystem management and restoration ?Include two outside references. ?Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Option 2: Ecosystem Components Video and Summary Select a representative natural ecosystem in your area or one that you are interested in?such as a lake, preserve, or park?that is managed for native species. ?Shoot a 7- to 10-minute video chronicling the following: oThe major structural and functional dynamics (processes) of that ecosystem including change over time oHow humans may have affected biogeochemical cycles in that ecosystem, including impacts to the nitrogen, phosphorus, or carbon cycle oHow knowledge about that ecosystem?s structure and function can help or has helped to develop plans for its management and restoration oThe implication of species interactions in ecosystem management and restoration ?Conduct research on the natural ecosystem you selected or interview natural resource management staff or other expert personnel. ?Write a 200- to 300-word summary of your video describing your approach to this assignment. ?Edit and format your video for flow.

Substance abuse among the older adult Research Paper

Substance abuse among the older adult - Research Paper Example Drugs prescription is one of the commonly abused substances, and led to the death of most elderly persons. Older adults who are affected by this abuse are seen with negative effects. Some of them were not given treatment and remained untreated until they die. Thus, this paper seeks to investigate how services and facilities--designed to at least save the patients from death--are delivered. Further, this paper identifies commonly abused substances and their effects. Commonly Abused Substances 1.1 Alcohol Alcohol use among older adults is not rare as it is one of the causes of severe diseases to them. In the United States, there is an approximately 2.5 million older adults that have been found out to be alcohol drinkers, and 21 percent of hospitalized adults aged of over 40 have been diagnosed of alcoholism (Blow, 1999). Not only older men have been found to be alcohol drinkers but also women, and became more dependent to alcohol. Myers et al. (1984 as cited in Blow, 1999) stated that older men are more inclined to alcohol drinking than older women. Dependency on alcohol becomes a serious problem but is not given proper attention and treatment. Older adults, who drink alcohol whether in a binge or heavy manner, have seen to have negative psychological and emotional experiences. Alcohol drinkers can be of two classifications, binge drinkers and heavy drinkers as far as the frequency of alcohol intake is concerned. Blow (1999) further stated that binge drinkers are those people who drink alcohol occasionally like once per week while heavy drinkers consume alcohol as often as daily or five drinks per week (p. 22). However, no matter what the frequency is, the problem still lies on the alcohol dependency among older adults. Alcohol, as a substance, is being abused by elder men and women and strikingly became leading causes of fatal diseases like cancer, diabetes, and liver illnesses. 1.2 Cigarette and Tobacco Cigarette and tobacco are widespread in the whole world an d have been taking its rank to the top place of most deadly substances. These substances are known to be the leading cause of lung cancer. Not only younger people are likely to get deadly diseases but most especially the older ones, as their body are not that strong in terms of immunity. Most deaths in the United States were driven by tobacco smoking and are increasing every year. One out of every five Americans died because of their excessive tobacco use. In addition, survey indicates that the number of older adults who use tobacco or cigarette have declined after reaching the age of 65 and over (Blow, 1999, p. 25). Although the number has sharply decreased, actually this does not mean that the problem with smoking was eradicated. 1.3 Drugs Older adults in their dawning age are likely to intake drugs which are intended to cure their sickness, but a large number of them have been found out to use drugs not prescribed by physicians. This contributes to the aggravating cases of substa nce abuse, and must be brought to a greater concern. In addition, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment found out that in the year 2000, 25-28 percent of older adults used a psychoactive medication, and 20 percent took a tranquilizer on a daily basis (Blow, 2002 as cited in Yoshida, 2006). Further, illicit drugs are also widespread anywhere in the globe. According to Jinks and Raschko (1990 as cited in Yoshida, 2006) prescription drug abuse has reached an average percentage ranging from 30 percent to

FINANCIAL REPORTING & ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

FINANCIAL REPORTING & ANALYSIS - Essay Example counting standards include a constant approach towards solving of problems and do not present a sequence of ad hoc reactions that deal with the accounting issues. The main function of the framework is to support the International Accounting Standard Board in the progress of consistent and coherent accounting standards. The conceptual model is not referred to a standard, although it directs in the preparation of financial statement in order to facilitate them to determine accounting issues. It is an extremely influential and important document which helps the users to understand the function as well as the limitation of the financial reporting (Ruppel, 2010). The conceptual framework is an existing subject because it is being amended as a combined project with the International Accounting Standard Board’s American Counterparts; the FASB (Financial Accounting Standard Board). However, the conceptual framework is being criticised for not accomplishing its functional goals, mainly that of offering a base for directing standard-setting and resolving accounting arguments. The main rationale behind this project is to highlight the criticism of financial accounting and problems with prevailing conceptual framework. The aims of universal purpose financial reports are also taken into consideration. The purpose of the theoretical/conceptual framework is to build up an enhanced framework which offers a sound base for developing the future accounting models. Such a structure is crucial in fulfilling the Board’s objective of developing benchmarks that are value based, internally reliable, and that show the way to the financial reporting; which gives the information to the capital providers who requires to make judgments in their capability as wealth providers. Moreover, the new Financial Accounting Standard Board framework will be constructed on the prevailing framework (Fasb, 2014). Although the prevailing conceptual framework has assisted the International Accounting